The present invention generally relates to joystick pointing devices and in particular to an improved pointing device.
Joysticks are generally known in the art such as shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,317,301 and 5,087,904.
Known joysticks, however, have several limitations that prevent automated mass production thereof. An improved joystick, such as disclosed by the application, reduces the assembly into an automated fashion rather than a human art. In prior devices, a collar goes into a printed circuit board that allows true alignment of the printed circuit board with a spring. A radiused inside edge of the collar prevents the spring from catching when the stick is deflected. The spring tension is, therefore, hard to maintain and is manually adjusted. A ramp also allows for manual as well as automated assembly. By making the collar electrically conductive, the need to solder the spring into the printed circuit board is eliminated.